26 Spiritual Perfeffion. Mercy. Our Rebellion was to be ex- piated by the higheff perfeaion of Obe- dience ; and thereby the honour of God's Moral Government to be repair'd. For this end theSon of God difrob'd himfelf of his Glory, and put on the Livery of our frail Flefh, and in the form of a Ser- vant became obedient to the Death of the Crofs, to reflue us from the Curfe of the Law : he intercepted the heavy ffroke of Vengeance, that had funk us into the Centre of Sorrows, and reffor'd us to the Favour and Fruition of God. Our Mifery was extreme and without End : if Mifery, though intolerable, has a determin'd iffue, the paffing of every day leífens it but if it beabove all Pati- ence to endure, and without Hope of Remifion or Releafe, this thought ffrikes deadly inward. A Brute has fome Me- mory of paff pains, and a feeling of pre- fent,but no apprehenfion offuture pains : 'Lis the woful Prerogative of the Rea fonable Nature, to exafperate the fente of Mifery by the forefight of its con- tinuance, and to feel the weight of E- ternity every Moment. Loft Souls are dead ro all the vital fweetnefs of Being, to all fente of Happinefs, and live to the quickeff feelingofMifery for ever. Our Reflue from this Mifery is more affeuing, if we confider, that without our
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